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Published during the austral summer at McMurdo Station, , for the United States Program January 5, 2003 New way to Self-portrait from a kite date old stone By Kristan Hutchison Sun staff Particles showering the could tell geologists how long particular rocks have been on the surface. Trees show their age in rings, ice in layers, people in wrinkles, but stones are a bit trickier. Geologist Paul Renne col- lected rock samples from the Dry Valleys last month, hoping they will help him crack the code of argon-38, an arcane iso- tope created as certain atoms are bom- barded by particles from tiny nuclear reactions in the atmosphere. Isotopes are atoms of a chemical element with differ- ing mass numbers and physical proper- ties. Renne is attempting to determine the rate at which argon-38 is created. Then geologists could measure argon-38 in rock samples to establish their ages. First place other Photo by Eric Muhs, TEA at the “If we knew somehow that the rate of Unique views of Antarctica prevailed in the Antarctic Photo and Writing Contest, like the above this incoming radiation was constant or photo, which takes the standard “hero shot” at the South Pole ceremonial marker to an unexpect- predictable, then we could tell how long ed level. Photography judge Joan Myers, a fine-arts photographer and National Science those layers have been exposed,” said Foundation artist grantee, said of the photo she chose for first in the “other” category, “What an Renne, who has a three-year research odd view of the South Pole marker....Somebody went to a lot of work here. They probably had a lot grant from the National Science of images that didn't work and I'm sure the photographer's hands were getting very, very cold.” Foundation. Other winning photos and writing start on page 11, or go to www.polar.org/antsun to see the pho- This could become a new and impor- tos as they’re meant to be, in color. tant tool for geologists. See Rock on page 18 Photo, Poetry and Prose Festival

Q U O T E OF THE W E E K “That’s a Darwin Award Marking a wandering Pole waiting to happen.” By Mark Sabbatini 46-day private expedition. "We're together — South Pole scientist referring to Sun staff for 46 days and then there's like 30 or 35 two men trying to traverse the people there asking us questions." continent on kite-pulled sleds The annual ceremony at Amundsen- Scott South Pole Station of placing a It may be the first time surprise visitors marker at the exact bottom of the world have appeared at the ceremony, said Jerry isn't the place one normally finds unex- Marty, the National Science Foundation INSIDE pected guests. representative for the station. The skiers But this year four skiers appeared as said they were simply finishing a final 30- Lost skua finds Pole final preparations were underway. The vis- hour push to reach the Pole, with no idea page 3 itors arrived to cheers 10 minutes before the ceremony was occurring that day. the event that traditionally greets the New At 10 a.m. Dec. 29 - timed for the sta- Year, getting as much of a surprise as the tion workers' day off instead of New Celebrating year’s end, Pole dwellers who spotted the group. Year's Day - a new pole with a specially Pole style page 18 "To be honest, it was a bit overwhelm- designed marker for 2003 was placed at ing," said Paul Landry, a guide who led the www.polar.org/antsun See Marker on page 9 2 • The Antarctic Sun January 5, 2003

Ross Island Chronicles By Chico

Look there’s a So these are the Dry Valleys everyone keeps microarthropod, an talking about. I don’t see what the big deal is. Antarctic springtail. They There’s are the largest terrestrial nothing creatures on the continent here and only grow to 2 but Cold, hard facts millimeters rocks in length. Erebus ...not Number of active volcanoes in Antarctica: 3 even snow! Southernmost volcano: Mt. Erebus Discovered: In 1841 by James Ross Named: For one of his two ships, a Greek name for the ring of darkness WHAT?! AND WHAT Maybe I ought to the dead had to pass through ARE WE, TOURISTS?! swallow it to show Height of Mt. Erebus: 12,280 feet (3,794 it who really is the meters) above sea level king around here. Area covered by Mt. Erebus: about 400 square miles (1,035 sq. km) Average temperature on the volcano’s slopes: -20F (-29C) in summer; -60F (-51C) winter Temperature in the lava lake: about There’s a good chance your stomach If you put your finger in your mouth 1,652F to 2,066F (900C to 1,130C) will keep it alive for some time. I’m deep enough like you taught me, you Age of Erebus: > 1 million years sure there’s plenty for it can upchuck him out and then ask for Age of the summit: < 100,000 years to eat in there. forgiveness. Frequency of eruptions: Strombolian (lava bombs) – several times a day; Ash–infrequent First time a lava flow was observed: 2000-2001 season Sources: Mt. Erebus Volcano Observatory, NSF and New Mexico Tech

Katabatic Krosswords: Countries with bases in Antarctica The Antarctic Sun is funded by the National Science Foundation as part of the United Tip: Most clues list a base or station of a country 1 1 2 3 4 States Antarctic Program. Its pri- 1 2 3 Across mary audience is U.S. Antarctic 5 5 5 6 5 1. Vostok Program participants, their fami- 5. Artigas 7 5 4 6 lies, and their friends. NSF 7. Maitri 5 7 8 10. Great Wall reviews and approves material 6 8 before publication, but opinions and conclu- 11. The committee the bases operate under (acryn.) 12. Escudero 9 10 sions expressed in the Sun are not necessari- 14. Arctowski 11 ly those of the Foundation. 16. Vernadsky Use: Reproduction and distribution are 17. Scott 12 encouraged with acknowledgment of source 18. Palmer 19. Dumont d’Urville 13 and author. 12 Senior Editor: Kristan Hutchison Down Editors: Melanie Conner 2. Marion Island 14 15 Mark Sabbatini 3. Comandante Ferraz 14 15 Copy Editor: Liz Connell, Wendy Kober 4. Bases are assigned a number based on this 15 16 6. Rothera Publisher: Valerie Carroll, 8. Syowa Communications manager, RPSC 9. King Sejong 16 17 Contributions are welcome. Contact the 11. Where all points converge 18 13. Mawson Sun at [email protected]. In McMurdo, visit 18 15. Esperanza our office in Building 155 or dial 2407. 19 18 Web address: www.polar.org/antsun Solution on page 19 1 19 1

Squares too small? No pencil to erase your mistakes? Try our interactive online puzzle at www.polar.org/antsun January 5, 2003 The Antarctic Sun • 3 Non-human life form seen at Pole By Mark Sabbatini “Compared to the other ones I’ve seen McMurdo Station years ago where it Sun staff down here, that one looked good,” said “rained” chicken bones dropped by raid- he conspiracy theorists have it right: Scott Smith, a plumber who recalled four ing skuas is local legend – but the chance Every so often residents at the skua sightings during the eight seasons he of a stray morsel from the South Pole’s T South Pole experience the shock of has worked at the station. tightly closed outdoor waste bins is essen- seeing a life form that absolutely is not But the skua was hardly finding life tially zero. A few workers suggested the human. easy: Smith said it was trying to eat one of skua spotted at the Pole might fare better It happened again last week, as a skua the orange flags along the station’s ice run- under the South Pole dome, where some that apparently strayed hundreds of miles way when he saw the bird. food waste is temporarily stored in large from its natural habitat was spotted in the Ruth Ofstedal said she and three co- open boxes, but doubted the bird would vicinity of the Amundsen-Scott South workers went looking for the skua after find its way there. Pole Station. The birds are common along Smith told them about it. She said they Late October to mid-December is typi- the shores of Antarctica – at least 800 found the bird resting on a snow berm cally the breeding season for skuas, with miles (1,280 km.) away – where there is along the before it eventually eggs hatching in late December to late plenty of food for them, but it is the first flew off toward the new elevated station January. The estimated lifespan of the sighting in two seasons at the Pole. being constructed. birds is about 11 years. There are no bird experts at the Pole – “Some people want to keep it as a pet,” There are two species of skuas found in hardly a surprise, since winged creatures she said. “Of course they’re fantasizing.” the , the Antarctic (also aren’t supposed to be there – but the col- The Antarctic Treaty forbids disturbing known as the brown) and the south polar. lective opinion is wind or other weather native wildlife, so well-intentioned The latter breed is more commonly found factors help push the occasional skua way thoughts of assistance are not possible. in Antarctica, although they are often seen off its intended course. Tracy Sheeley, the Skuas, closely related to the gull fami- following ships at sea and have been sight- station’s communications supervisor, said ly, typically have a wingspan of about four ed as far north as Greenland and the a bird’s chances of making the long return feet and weigh two to four pounds. They Aleutian Islands in Alaska. Deneb journey without food are generally poor. are known as scavengers who eat sea life, Karentz, the National Science “It’s nice to see a non-human life form steal penguin eggs and clean up carrion for Foundation’s science representative at for a change,” said Sheeley, a resident of nourishment. McMurdo, said she spotted one a few Talkeetna, Alaska, who is working her On a very rare occasion they may find years ago during a boat trip near San fifth season at the Pole. “People are food scraps at a settlement – an incident at Francisco. always excited, but that poor By early Sunday evening the little guy is doomed.” skua spotted at the Pole had The good news is the skua made its way toward the SPRE- spotted Dec. 29 was still able SO camp about five miles away, to fly and was relatively landing near a goose windsock plump, indicators it was in being used at the ice drilling better health than some previ- site. A few miles away, Paolo ous birds, according to sever- Rapex, an electronics engineer al people who have spent from the University of Rome, multiple seasons at the sta- said he also spotted the bird tion. about 328 feet (100 meters) A number of people said from his research camp at about they spotted the bird late in 6 p.m., thinking at first it was a the morning or early in the rock until it moved. afternoon before it flew off “I stopped the skidoo and it toward field camp sites a few was a very big bird,” he said. “It miles away. There were no circled us and followed the sightings mentioned after road. It was an incredible sight Sunday evening. because we didn’t expect it.”

[The creature] was trying A skua flies near one of the run- to eat way markers at Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station on Dec. 29. one of the Stray birds find the Pole about once every other year on aver- orange age, straying hundreds of miles flags. from their native habitat. Photo by Scott Smith/Special to The Antarctic Sun 4 • The Antarctic Sun January 5, 2003

speaking Monitoring whales along the of science... west

By Ana Sirovic

ntarctic whales were heavily har- calls). An autonomous recording package International Whaling Commission on vested during the first half of the consists of a hydrophone, a data logging this project. The International Whaling 20th century. More than two mil- system, 36 gigabytes of hard disk space, Commission has been conducting visual lion of them, mostly baleen an acoustic release, ballast weights, flota- surveys of whales around the Antarctic A tion and lots of batteries. These instru- continent for many years, and recently whales, were caught in the southern hemi- sphere during this time, reducing populations ments can currently be deployed and have been trying to expand their surveys to fractions of their original sizes. Baleen make recordings for 400 days, providing and tie the distribution of whales to eco- whales are toothless, with modified kerati- a relatively cheap and efficient way to logical parameters. By using both the nous (same material that your nails are made monitor baleen whales. This method is more traditional methods (visual surveys, of) plates that make up their filtering appara- particularly useful in regions like the as well as photo-identification studies and tus, baleen. They are huge, and feed on much Antarctic, which are not easily accessible tissue sample analysis) in conjunction smaller marine organisms such as krill or and have extreme environmental condi- with the novel methods (acoustics), we copepods. Most of them undergo long annu- tions during long periods of time. are able to obtain a more complete picture al migrations from their low- of the whale distributions in the breeding areas to the high-latitude feed- west Antarctic Peninsula region. ing grounds. We have participated in five SO During the whaling period the GLOBEC cruises in the west whales were caught mostly for their Antarctic Peninsula region over the blubber (which is the most important past two years. During this period site of fat, which was used as fuel we have made some exciting dis- oil), but meat and bones were also coveries. Most notably, blue whales exploited. Extreme depletion of appear to remain in the west many populations of various species Antarctic Peninsula throughout the (especially the largest one – the blue year and do not all undergo season- whale), along with development of al migration. Fin whales, on the alternate, cheaper ways of producing other hand, seem to follow the more products previously made from typical pattern of migration from whale parts, led to a decrease in com- the higher-latitude areas in the win- Photo courtesy of Ana Sirovic ter. This finding could have an mercial whaling and eventually to its Three humpback whales swim in front of the Nathaniel end in 1984. B. Palmer in the Gerlache Straits. impact on our understanding of the Current low sighting rates of cer- effect of foraging of whales on krill tain species of whales (e.g. blues and fins) We can supplement our long-term during the winter months. In the future we make obtaining reliable estimates of their recordings with real-time recordings from hope to investigate this impact further, population numbers using traditional, sonobuoys deployed from an underway and also to gain a better understanding of visual survey techniques difficult. We are ship. Sonobuoys are expendable listening the interactions between the whales and taking advantage of the recent develop- devices that transmit real-time audio their environment. ments in computer technology to use a records of underwater sounds to the ship This year we will be doing a final relatively new method to study whales: via a radio signal. These data can be used recovery of our eight instruments that acoustics. Baleen whales, such as blue, in conjunction with visual observations have spent the past two years recording fin, humpback, right whales, etc., are for verification and calibration of the along the continental shelf in the west known to produce low frequency, species- long-term seafloor data. Antarctic Peninsula. There are endeavors specific calls. By making continuous Our project is part of the U.S. Southern underway, however, to deploy acoustic recordings, it is possible to Ocean GLOBEC (Global Ocean autonomous recording packages at other obtain long-term records of the abun- Ecosystem Dynamics) program. The locations around the Antarctic in collabo- dance of calling animals in an area, and main goal of the SO GLOBEC program is ration with other countries’ Antarctic pro- also to observe their seasonality and dis- “to understand the physical and biological grams, including the British Antarctic tribution patterns. factors that contribute to enhanced Survey and the Australian Antarctic We have developed autonomous Antarctic krill growth, reproduction, Division. recording packages that are moored to the recruitment and survivorship throughout seafloor and record low-frequency sounds the year.” And no such study would be Ana Sirovic is a Ph.D. student at (up to 250 Hz; this is sufficient for moni- complete without an understanding of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, in toring blue and fin whale calls, as well as role of krill’s predators: penguins, seals La Jolla, Calif. parts of minke, humpback and some seal and whales. Our group collaborates with the January 5, 2003 The Antarctic Sun • 5 around the continent SOUTH POLE NPQ and Clear and Copious sealed the inches to several feet. The depth can deal – along with the “Near Year’s” count- reach over a hundred feet (33 meters). A rush for the holidays down long about 12:30 a.m. Close enough Glaciers look like rivers of ice. Some By Anne Lewis for Dec. 29 by the Pole’s standards. move quicker than others but in doing so, Pole correspondent The ITASE (International Trans they ride up and down according to con- Christmas came to the Quiet Sector Antarctic Scientific Expedition) traverse tours of the Earth. The rise and fall caus- Science on Dec. 26, 2002, out at SPRESO arrived at the SPRESO Field Camp (five es cracks, or crevasses. As the glacier Camp (89 55’41.32”S-144 26’30.06”W). miles out from Pole) at 1:17 p.m. on Jan. moves, the cracks open and close. The Ice Coring Drilling Services drillers 2. The aim is to describe and understand “Think of a Snickers bar,” said GSAR — B. Bergeron, D. Braun, M. Pender and environmental change in Antarctica over team leader Jim Waters when describing T. Gacke — reached a new record depth of the last 200 years. Team members are tak- how crevasses form. “Slowly push up in 203.4 meters for a continuous core sample ing ice cores at 100 km intervals, collect- the center and down on the two ends. If from the South Pole Region. you do that, you’ll see the chocolate crack The previous record was in a few places.” That’s how a glacier 202.4 meters taken in 1982. cracks. As it slowly moves over a ridge The drillers will continue on the contours of the Earth, it extends using the same 4-inch until the sheer weight of the ice causes electromechanical drill to the glacier to crack and form a crevasse. achieve a final depth of over Waters studied at the American Alpine 300 meters. Institute and was an Outward Bound The South Pole’s brisk instructor for two summers in Oregon and Christmas morning kicked a member of the ski patrol in Jackson, off with the Race Around the Wyo. He’s traveled on glaciers in World. Festive runners, California, Washington, Oregon, Canada dome-head walkers, sofa sit- and in the mountains of Ecuador. ters, snowboard-skiers and GSAR training began several weeks Pisten Bully riders all gath- ago for eight new members recruited ered to join in on the 2.3- from the summer personnel arrivals, of mile course looping the cere- Photo by Jon Emanuel/Special to The Antarctic Sun which many have previous mountaineer- monial Pole. Allister Knox of At the South Pole station ‘Near Year’ Party. ing experience. Orientation included rope the Jeffries Science Group was the top male ing surface snow and ice samples, meteo- use, knot tying and equipment issue to winner with a time of 17.57 minutes. Leisl rological readings and collecting radar team members. Training exercises are Schernthanner was the top female runner profiles of the ice sheet. The multi-year now being conducted on the glacier with a time of 26.34 minutes. traverse started at Byrd Surface Camp, behind and in crevasses. South Pole’s New Year’s party was a extended to old Siple Station and has now For the uninitiated, some of the gear rockin’ good time. The evening got off to completed this season’s final leg to the issued to team members might sound for- a great start with DJ Joe Speidel spinnin’ South Pole. eign: crampons, ice screws, carabineers, the tunes. The dance floor was already prussic rope, figure 8 and picket. Not only groovin’ by the time the first band, NPQ, does the team need to know how to use the hit the stage, moving the crowd with a var- PALMER gear, but they also need to know when, ied set including songs by Third Eye under what circumstances, and what the Blind, Jimi Hendrix, Robert Earl Keen and Glacier Search & Rescue acceptable safety limitations are for their Green Day. All were duly impressed by By Tom Cohenour use. Someone’s life could depend on it. The ropes and various knots used by the the set’s close. Next up was Clear and Palmer correspondent GSAR team are an art unto themselves. Copious, who rocked the house with songs Most people try to avoid crevasses but Names like double-fisherman’s, figure- by Queen, Social Distortion, the Ramones the Glacier Search and Rescue (GSAR) eight-on-a-bite, follow-thru and water-knot and Black Sabbath. Now that’s Rock & team at Palmer Station actually tries to only begin to describe the amazing array of Roll. Later came South Pole’s official Boy find them. By knowing where the crevass- twists, loops and curls. And each knot has Band – Minus 98 Degrees! The squeal and es are and which way they run, the GSAR its purpose. “Ideally, each team member swoons of the audience were evidence of team can flag a safe route to keep people will be able to tie each knot perfectly while the group’s overwhelming cuteness and from falling in. standing in a cold shower with their eyes lip-sync ability. If given the chance, they Crevasses are fissures or clefts in closed,” said Waters. could probably even sing. Another dose of glacial ice, ranging in width from a few the week in weather

McMurdo Station Palmer Station South Pole Station High: 44F/7C Low:20F/-7C High: 46F / 8C Low: 32F / 0C High: -5F / -20C Low: -22F / -30C Wind: 42 mph/68 kph Wind: 43 mph / 69 kph Wind: 15 mph / 24 kph Windchill: -13F/-25C Melted precipitation: 1.6 mm Snowfall: none 6 • The Antarctic Sun January 5, 2003

Two ways to cross the continent

Science circumnavigates by balloon... Others try kite...

Photo by Joan Myers/Special to The Antarctic Sun The ATIC payload was successfully launched at 6 p.m. Dec. 29 and as of Friday was trav- eling at an altitude of 124,000 feet at 20 knots. It’s position was latitude 73°49.20 S and longitude: 66°20.40 E. The Boomerang payload will be launched at the next calm weather opportunity, possibly as early as today. Observers are asked to stay outside of the launch pad perimeter. The balloon flights can be followed in real-time at http://192.149.107.13/ice0203.htm. Officials at the long-duration balloon facility are requesting people not call for flight updates since personnel are occupied with launch plans.

Photo by Mark Sabbatini/The Antarctic Sun An independent adventurer struggles to get a kite-powered buggy moving at Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station on Dec. 29. He and his colleague hoped to revolutionalize Antarctic travel by making a 650-mile journey across the continent in 10 days on the buggies. Such a trip nor- mally takes two months on cross-country skis. However, the men abandoned their attempt after only a few days, saying unusually calm wind made it impossible for them to travel.

“Probably ‘Is it “What is the elevation “Somebody asked if What is the dumbest cold down at Palmer Station? we could see the there?’” (while viewing a Trans-Alaskan question you’ve ever been Robert Schwarz, photo of the dock)” Pipeline.” South Pole Chris Vitry Dave Weimer asked about Antarctica? AMANDA Palmer network adminis- McMurdo power plant researcher from trator operator from Palm Munich, from Denver, Colo. Harbor, Fla. January 5, 2003 The Antarctic Sun • 7 NOT REALLY THE NEW YEAR AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WORLD

By Mark Sabbatini third in Antarctica. In rooms near the shop, band members Sun staff For many who are thousands of miles make sure their instruments and oversized Being at the South Pole means being from home, traditions go out the window. wigs are ready for the stage. It will be the able to toast the New Year 24 times – once Cameron Lewis, a communications opera- first performance of the season for all of for each time zone – since they all merge working her first season at the Pole, the groups. at the bottom of the world. said her typical New Year’s celebration is “It’s the first time I’ve ever been in a Make it 25 if you go to the “official” a large bonfire with friends. band,” said Michael Boyce, a carpenter party. “Everybody gets together and throws from Denali Park, Alaska, who is working Extraordinary as such things might their Christmas trees on,” she said. his fourth season at the South Pole. But seem by normal standards, for some Pole With no trees anywhere near the Pole the rhythm guitar player got premier dwellers it’s as cliché as being able to and no fires – one of the biggest hazards in equipment for his debut gig: an expensive walk “around the world” in only a second Antarctica – Lewis spent part of the after- model, designed for cold weather, made of or two. For many researchers and support noon helping decorate the heavy shop for graphite and epoxy-injected wood left by staff the biggest thrills of the New Year the party before showing up with the professional musician Henry Kaiser. He come from more ordinary thrills in an crowd a few hours later. visited the Pole last year and played in extraordinary setting. Still, plenty of patterns from the out- what some call the best gig ever. Most anyone willing to go on stage can side world are recognizable here. People Boyce is playing in the band “NPQ,” be a rock star. Partyers may go through leave work a bit early to get ready for the short for “not physically qualified,” a term rummage bins for fancy clothes or show night ahead. The party, scheduled to begin applied to those who don’t meet the nec- up for the dance in snow boots. The around 8:30 p.m., doesn’t really get going essary medical standards for deployment “beaker juice” gets nearly as many com- until a couple of hours later as everyone is to Antarctica. A second band, “Clear and ments for its fresh fruit chunks as its other still getting dressed up (or down) and Copious,” is a common reference to the ingredients. And a few souls may venture arrives fashionably late for the celebra- extremely dry air of the station and the into the frigid outdoors and visit the South tion. There are a few gripes as hot water need to constantly drink fluids. A third Pole marker wearing less than their stan- runs out in some dorms as numerous peo- “rumored” group, known as the “Boy dard expedition gear. ple take showers (limited by station rules Band – Minus 98 Degrees” will show up to two minutes twice a week) and do laun- “It’s always neat when you’re working See Near Year on page 8 down here because of the lack of facili- dry. ties,” said Frederick McDougall, an elec- trician working his ninth season in Antarctica and sixth at the Pole. “You have to do with facilities like (throwing the station party in) the heavy shop.” McDougall was the singer and violinist for one of three bands that played in the station’s “Near Year’s” party on Dec. 28, held in the workshop where heavy equip- ment work normally takes place. It’s the only place large enough to hold the sta- tion’s 220 summer residents. Also, since the population puts in a six-day workweek with Sundays off, a premature weekend party is generally the preferred alternative to asking most people to work after only a few hours of sleep in the middle of the week. But just getting ready here is a different experience. Heavy shop workers spent two days getting their work area cleared, including steam-cleaning the walls. Trouble is, there are no drains on the floor, so it’s an eight-hour task to collect all of the water and haul it away for proper dis- posal. “The reason we like to do it is because it gives us an opportunity to clean this area good,” said Dave Anderson, a heavy shop Photo by Mark Sabbatini/The Antarctic Sun foreman from , Idaho, who is Dave Anderson, center, sprays water on the floor of the heavy shop at the Amundsen-Scott working his first season at the Pole and South Pole Station Dec. 28 in preparation for a “Near Year’s Eve” party that evening. 8 • The Antarctic Sun January 5, 2003

Near Year From page 7

just before midnight and do its best impression of a lip-synced 80’s teeny-bop- per band as a hoard of the station’s women encourages them on. Outside the station is silent – an unusu- al sensation since construction on a new station building and related work typically go on 24 hours a day. Some residents are scattered throughout some other buildings as midnight nears, playing cards in the smoking lounge or watching movies in the recreation room. And an unlucky few have to work, keeping watch at the radio com- munications center or getting ready for the midnight meal served to employees who Mark Lehman, work the overnight shift. the night shift cook at the South A sign in the dining hall asks residents Pole, takes a short to wash their own dishes, since only one break to play trumpet person is on overnight “midrats” duty, during a song at instead of the usual four. The cook is Mark the station’s Lehman, a Yellowstone Park resident “Near Year’s working his fifth season at the Pole, who Eve” party. is preparing assemble-it-yourself fajitas Photo by Robert Schwarz/ for the larger than normal crowd that may Special to The Antarctic Sun – or may not – appear. “It’s one of those nights where every- body shows up or nobody shows up,” he “This is a ‘Near Year’s’ party. We don’t Copious” counterpart Solan Jensen said. do a countdown,” said “Cookie” Jon injured his hand while playing. Still, Lehman is able to get away long Emanuel, head of food service at the sta- Many are up by 10 a.m. that day for enough to play trumpet for one song in the tion and lead singer and bassist of “Clear one of the big events of the season: the heavy shop. As midnight nears the grow- and Copious.” annual dedication of a marker that signi- ing crowd pays less attention to the chips At 12:30 a.m., an impromptu count- fies exactly where the geographic South and pickled eggs and more to the dance down finally happens. The party continues Pole is. A new marker has to be placed floor, but when the midnight hour strikes for a few more hours, with the “NPQ” each year because the ice shifts at a rate of there is no pause whatsoever to observe it. drummer Doug “Dog” Forsythe filling in about 39 feet per year. for both bands after his “Clear and Talk of another party surfaces as the real New Year’s Eve approaches Tuesday, but on a much more informal scale. B.K. South Pole Grant, the station’s area director, said a employees Tony Black, large number of people typically stay up to right, and Zephyr bring in the real New Year, but tend to dis- McConnell hit appear from whatever gathering they’re at the dance floor fairly quickly to get a bit of sleep before during the station’s “Near Year’s Eve Party.” the day shift begins. “Six a.m. comes pretty early,” she said. Photo by Robert Schwarz/ Special to The Antarctic Sun

happy NEAR YEAR! January 5, 2003 The Antarctic Sun • 9

Marker From page 1 Marker a work of winter art exactly 90 degrees south, the geographic South Pole. A new marker is placed each year because the bedrock at the South This year’s geographic South Pole marker was made by Pole is covered by a glacial ice sheet nearly two miles thick that Michael Whitehead, a production engineer at Honeywell in is sliding downhill toward the at the rate of rough- Minnesota who spent the winter of 2002 at the Amundsen-Scott ly an inch a day. It moved 32 feet 8.4 inches during the past South Pole Station as a CARA/MAPO machinist engineer. The year. following is his account of how he created the marker: "Happy New Year, South Pole," said B.K. Grant, area man- The Pole marker is traditionally designed by a winter resi- ager for the station, ending a ceremony that lasted only a few dent the prior season, so we were responsible for the 2003 mark- minutes. The workers and skiers cheered, then began taking er. Those interested submitted artwork and then voted to select pictures of themselves and others at the new Pole and the mark- the final Pole marker artwork. Eric Hansen’s artwork was cho- er attached to it. sen. I was the CARA/MAPO machinist/engineer and the person The annual markers traditionally are designed and made by in that position is typically responsible for making the marker. staff who worked the previous winter at the station. The 2003 I made the Pole marker in the lab out at MAPO. They have a design features a copper and aluminum Yin Yang pattern, with nice macine shop, including Bridgeport mill and gear head a depiction of a moonrise over the South Pole dome on one part engine lathe. The marker I made consists of 12 pieces made of and the new elevated station on the other. It was designed by brass, aluminum and copper. The “jewel mount” that holds it is Eric Hansen and constructed by Michael Whitehead, both aluminum. Pole markers are typically just a brass puck engraved employees who worked the winter of 2002 at the Pole. with the artwork. I have always been impressed with the pride "This is a beautiful one," Grant said during the cer- and workmanship of those at the Pole and decided to emony. "They did an incredible job. This is some- use my skills as an accomplished tool and die thing that's going to stay with us forever." maker and mechanical designer to capture The marker was attached to a support that spirit. pole by Angie Rutherford, a first-year I ended up working a double shift the general assistant from Whitefish, last couple months of the season— Mont. Station officials typically one shift for my job and another select a person whose work they shift working on the marker. The consider to be exceptional to per- tooling at MAPO was limited and form the task. the marker was rather complex, "I feel really honored to be a so I ended up spending about part of this," Rutherford said. three hours making tooling and A sign identifying the marker fixtures for every hour of work as the geographical South Pole on the marker. and featuring famous quotes by I really enjoyed working historic explorers Roald with Eric’s yin-yang theme and Amundsen and Robert Falcon the artwork in general. His art- Scott was moved by surveyors work had challenges in itself due Jack Giacalone and Kurt Skoog, to being submitted at about a 2.2X who performed some of the scale. It was very detailed and preparatory work, including digging graphic and many of the lines defin- the holes for the sign the day before ing the old and new stations were less the ceremony. than 0.01 inches apart when reduced to An ever-increasing line of poles from fit the 4-inch diameter material at hand. I previous years stretches out several hundred wanted to capture all of the detail of the art- yards on the plateau. If they are undisturbed and work, so I needed to make a special fixture to continue traveling at their present rate the poles Photo by Mark Sabbatini/The Antarctic Sun grind the engraving cutter to a 0.002 inch point. could fall into the ocean, about 840 miles away, in The 2003 South Pole Marker I inlayed aluminum and copper into the brass to roughly 140,000 years. accentuate the yin-yang theme of the artwork and The markers left on the poles in past years are being col- provide some color. The copper should oxidize to a nice dark lected and will be displayed in the new elevated station when it rust color and the aluminum should stay rather bright and shiny. opens. Part of the reason is to provide a long-term location I wanted the characters to stand out and compliment the alu- where they can be easily viewed, but it will also protect against minum part of the symbol, so I engraved the characters through possible theft. the brass top ring and backed them up with an aluminum ring to "There's been a couple stolen," said Larry Hothem, project give them the appearance of inlaid silver. The aluminum ring leader for geodetic science for the United States Antarctic around the yin-yang symbol helps isolate them and cases the let- Program. "I know the 1994 marker is missing." ters in conjunction with the first aluminum ring around the Hothem is also one of the U.S. Geological Survey officials periphery of the outer edge of the marker. I also included a cop- who spent about an hour just before Christmas taking precise per ring to tie in the copper of the symbol and an additional alu- Global Positioning System (GPS) measurements to determine, minum ring below for balance. relative to the continuous operating GPS observatory at the To create sleek lines and a light impression, I machined a 6- South Pole, where the current marker would be placed. inch radius on the top and bottom halves. I did not want fasten- The measurements include corrections for ionospheric ers to clutter the design, so I made the top and bottom halves effects and and can pinpoint the location within a few centime- screw together and capture the accent rings in between. ters. GPS receivers deployed at stations of an international net- I would like to thank Jon Berry, Kathy Rawlins and Vince Bollinger for their suggestions and help. See Marker on page 10 10 • The Antarctic Sun January 5, 2003

“Visitors pay more attention to the ceremonial Pole because of the barber pole and all the flags.... People at the sta- tion who are in the know pay more attention to the geographic Pole.” — Kurt Skoog, surveyor

Surveyors Jack Giacalone and Kurt Skoog move the sign that identifies the geographic South Pole to its new location for 2003. Every year a new Pole, seen in the right of the picture, must be established to account for the movement of shifting ice covering the bedrock nearly two miles below. Photo by Mark Sabbatini/The Antarctic Sun Marker From page 9 work, including locations in Antarctica moving away from the South Pole is year - marks the bottom of the world at 90 such as McMurdo and Palmer stations, going north. In more navigational terms, degrees south. A short walk away is the provide reference measurements that the ice is moving along the 40-degree ceremonial mirror-topped barbershop allow accurate calculations. west longitude line. South Pole surrounded by flags of Last-minute checks are later performed The South Pole dome is expected to Antarctic Treaty nations. to make sure the measurements at the Pole pass near - but not over - the geographic Second is the magnetic South Pole, are accurate and nobody has moved the Pole in 10 to 15 years. But nobody seems where a compass needle able to move ver- temporary marker indicating where the worried the marker might have to be tically as well as horizontally would point new and official marker will be placed. As placed under the dome where nobody can straight up. At the moment, the magnetic it turns out the temporary marker was reach. Among other factors: the dome is South Pole is located off the Adelie Coast moved slightly this year, but officials were scheduled to be replaced by 2007. at about 65 degrees south, nearly 2,000 able to correct it quickly. "I think by the time it (the marker) gets miles from the geographic South Pole. The results from the GPS measure- that far the dome will be out of here any- This Pole moves northwesterly 10 to 15 ments are much more accurate than previ- way," Skoog said. kilometers a year. It exists and moves ous methods, but since the ice is shifting There are three "official" South Poles, because of Earth's iron-rich molten core. at the same rate and in the same direction plus one major ceremonial one. The geo- The third is the geomagnetic South each year it is possible to use a simple pro- graphic Pole - the one at Amundsen-Scott Pole, the center of the auroral oval. It cedure for determining where the marker South Pole Station that is relocated every owes its existence to the solar wind. It is is placed, Hothem said. in and is the most dynam- "The motion of the ice is a constant, so ic of the three, changing location with we could - if you wanted to - make it triv- variations in the solar wind. ial," he said. "You could go off and mea- For visitors and residents, a "hero shot" sure the distance along the line of motion at the South Pole seems nearly mandatory. relative to the previous markers, which we Most people end up with pictures of them- sould know the position of within cen- selves at both the real and the ceremonial timeters." geographic poles. A person watching the Earth's rotation "I think visitors pay more attention to at high speed would see the South Pole the ceremonial Pole because of the barber marker wobble slightly, said Michael pole and all the flags," Skoog said. "I Holstine, science technician for the CUSP think people at the station who are in the research lab at the station. know pay more attention to the geograph- "We're marking the geographic South Photo courtesy of Karen Feather ic Pole." Pole, not the axis of the Earth," he said. A group of workers and scientists at the As for direction of the shift, anything South Pole makes a New Year’s toast for peace at the geographical pole marker. January 5, 2003 The Antarctic Sun • 11 Revolt Fiction first place by Rebecca Glover Penguins! With Uzis! The noted Principle Investigator raised his head from his knees and risked a glance at the sentry standing next to the orange mesh fence. With an angry squawk, the penguin leveled his weapon in their direction and opened fire. Bullets drilled a line of holes across the Jamesway above the humans’ heads, showering them with wood chips. The noise was deafening, but when it ended, the PI heard something even worse: the nasty, high-pitched cackle of penguin laughter. The PI buried his head in the huddle of red-coated humans. Someone sobbed in fear. Probably the camp cook, Kelly. The sound brought another blast of gun- fire, another shower of splinters. Don’t call attention to yourself! That had become his mantra. MacOps would send someone to check on Tom and skua silhouette with Mt. Williams Photo by Laura Hamilton, them, eventually. Their radio check First place scenic painter apprentice was hours overdue. Through his fin- The judge said, "You have this human as big as the mountain Palmer Station gers, the PI watched their leader hand and a large bird. It's a strange sense of proportion.... It makes his Uzi to a subordinate and waddle an interesting photo." toward him. A small foot landed a heavy blow on his shoulder, spinning him onto his back. Their leader stared The Urn-maker’s Son down at him with glittering penguin Fiction second place by Karen Joyce eyes—cold eyes. He had never I was born in Etrusca where my father was an urn-maker. My family was not noticed how cold their eyes were. He well off, but we always had enough millet to last the winter. Except, of course, for clamped his hands tightly over his the Insect Year, when all the villages starved. I especially remember one afternoon own eyes to blot out those cold, dark that summer. We were playing down by the river when my friend Abda spotted a eyes. fish caught in an eddy. Suddenly, a blade of a beak thrust “Idyah!” he cried. “It is mine!” We all splashed into the water together, grab- into his mouth. He felt a rasped bing at the fish and pulling each other down. The fish sparkled in the sunlight tongue slide over his own smooth before disappearing into a hole. We dove after it and as we gave chase, it led us to tongue, then a lumpy mass of warm an underwater tunnel. Swimming along, we soon came to a cavern where djinis in liquid filled his mouth. Vomit! odd stockings were working at anvils. We ducked behind a rock, but they spotted Penguin vomit! The PI twisted to one us nevertheless. side and retched the pink liquid onto “Come out, boys!” they shouted. “Do not be afraid! We will grant each of you the sea ice while their leader threw his one wish!” head back, brayed and pumped his Abda stood up first, his voice shaking. “Ndotis, if you please, I would like our wings in the classic ecstatic display. village urns to be filled with millet!” Screw the graduate students! Every “Granted!” cried the djinis. man for himself! The PI scrambled to Urguk went next. “Ndotis, my family would be grateful for a herd of fat sheep!” his feet and ran for the fence. He “Granted!” cried the djinis. almost made it. Then it was my turn. “Ndotis, I would beg to become a Dining Room Attendant at McMurdo Station, Antarctica!” The judge said, “I liked this story pri- “Granted!” they cried again. marily for the humor, but also because And so, my friend, this is how I came to find myself here, scrubbing at the sides something actually happened in 300 of these pans with yourself. But now I must also ask from what place is your ori- words! It was a fun twist on the “look at the cute penguins” theme.” gin? Ah, Denvercolorado! I do not know it, but to judge by your belly it must be a magnificent village, urns overflowing with millet! Oh, with Arbeez, you say? Rebecca Glover is a second-year com- Well, I am sure it is most delicious! puter hardware technician at McMurdo Karen Joyce’s Station. She was an English major at The judge said “Again, the humor in this story was appealing. I bio is on page 16. Vanderbilt University and is currently work- liked the use of the old-fashioned fable format. The author was ing on a master’s degree in writing popular able to tell a complete story — beginning, middle and end — with fiction at Seton Hill University in 300 words. The imaginary element made the story vibrant.” Greensburg, Penn. Photo, Poetry and Prose Festival 12• The Antarctic Sun January 5, 2003 Ice Cloud Fiction third place by Joe Mastroianni “Mac Ops on Mt. Aurora.” The cold subsided. Pressure lifted from his chest. His hands and feet stopped hurting. There was only the lump of dead hand warmers in his gloves and boots. Gail would get the car. He saw it in her eyes when he left her in the airport, and he could read between the lines in her messages. She wasn’t asking for the lawyer’s address to send him the papers, she was negoti- ating for the car. D--n. That was Robert’s car. If only he could find the radio. He would call Mac Ops and tell them to stop g------Gail. “... Mt. Aurora.” Before he left the hut they told him walk west and he’d be Swirling snow Photo by Zee Evans, okay, around the nose of the Second place scenic PM shop forewoman, glacier. McMurdo Station The judge said, "It looks like a science fiction set....It's strange, Then the glacier disap- unearthly, -like or something. It was taken under very peared into a cloud. The land- strange lighting circumstances." scape was gone. The wind stuck its fingers through gaps in his ECWs. He thought about Gail while he walked, her green eyes. How many times had she said she loved him? Lots of years. Lots of time. Not anymore. He pulled his zippers as high as they would go, tight- over the Royal Society Range Photo by Bill Servais, ened the hood until he could Third place scenic dentist, McMurdo Station only see a circle of light, and kept going. Until the wind got so strong Fiction judge: it was hard to move. Then he Lucy Jane Bledsoe judged the fiction hid behind the boulders. The judge said “The sorrow He should drink or eat. entries. She was an NSF writer grantee in in this story really stuck with 1999. She has published children’s novels, lit- Move. Anything to get warm. me after my first reading. I But he wasn’t cold anymore. erary essays and short stories, including one liked the impressionistic based at McMurdo Station called “The Breath “J.T.” style, and also the dramatic The radio kept going off. He of Seals” which can be read on the Web at use of the ice cloud mirroring http://www.blithe.com/bhq6.2/6.2.04.html felt for it. His hand moved in the emotional truth of the his mind, but when he looked She wrote: story.” “I want to congratulate all the Antarctican down, it lay still like a part of writers who were brave enough to submit a the landscape. Gone. story for the fiction contest. Writing a good Joe Mastroianni lives in Not that the radio would 300-word short story is considerably more dif- California where he’s hoping his make any difference. Nobody ficult than writing a 10-page one. I looked for abandoned career as a Silicon could find him in this storm. Valley executive doesn’t inter- The cloud that ate the stories that were complete, i.e. moved a char- fere with his screenwriting and acter from one state of being to another, and mountain was upon him. He publication of his novel about felt sharp particles of ice stories that elicited a genuine response in me Antarctic adventure. the reader, like humor or sorrow.” against his cheeks. Then that was gone too.

Photo, Poetry and Prose Festival January 5, 2003 The Antarctic Sun • 13

Ice Blinks Non-fiction first place by Susan Monroe Diane died. I ran. South for the winter, where it is actually summer – an Austral Summer, a Polar Summer - one long sum- mer day in Antarctica. Stepping off the C-141 plane onto the ice runway, I waddle, overstuffed in the downy insula- tion, neck craning to take it all in. Everything is new, every- thing is different. That’s the point, isn’t it? I’ve left behind a husband of 33 years, grown sons, my life in suburbia. I think about Diane. Is this all she would have needed to save herself? Detective Boatright chronicled the books in Diane’s backpack the day she died: Hot Day on Torgy Photo by Cara Sucher, Scared Life, The Reluctant Adelie penguin chicks on Torgersen Island lab supervisor, Shaman, Life on the Path. She First place wildlife Palmer Station was striving, as I am. We lived remarkably parallel lives. The judge said, "They are just so cute. They are really hard to resist." A passage in Worsley’s Endurance describes how early Antarctic sailors searched the Non-fiction judge: clouds for iceblinks. Glaring Gretchen Legler, PhD, white reflections on the under- judged the non-fiction side of clouds indicated pack entries. She is an associate ice. Darker lanes pointed to professor of creative writ- open water and a way out. ing in the Department of Diane desperately needed an Humanities at the iceblink, a way to chart a course University of Maine at out of the pack ice of her past. Farmington. She was a NSF She possessed an innate abil- writer grantee in 1997. She ity to see motives not readily has published one book, All apparent to others. This sort of The Powerful Invisible ability in mid-life can cripple. Things: A Sportswoman’s She sensed being overlooked, Notebook, and numerous dismissed. Accomplishments essays, stories and articles. shrouded in the cloak of middle age. Two shots were fired in the The judge said, “In addi- house at chest level – as if she tion to having all the ele- were aiming at something or ments of a powerful piece someone. The third shot was of nonfiction writing, the fired in the yard. A shot-gun prose here is clear and blast to her chest. Gun held an careful, strong, and full arm length away. of detail. A beautiful, This place where the sun sad, and moving piece of runs seamless circuits above the writing.” horizon, where unseen forces Susan MacGregor trick the eye with inverted Monroe, PhD, is senior images and splash sun dogs on analytical chemist at the horizon…this place of myth McMurdo Station in her Reverie and heroic acts …this place of first season on the Ice. Her Photo by Joe Pettit, A blue-eyed shag isolation and refuge…this place only previous writing expe- station manager, rience involved scientific Second place wildlife Palmer Station could have saved you, Diane. journal articles and/or tech- It’s going to save me. nical papers. The judge said, "This one is just really very elegant."

Photo, Poetry and Prose Festival 14 • The Antarctic Sun January 5, 2003 The longest night Non-fiction second place by Judy Spanberger The sun set March 20th. We watched out the windows of the new station as the giant yolk, sitting on its vast white, sank lower and lower - a radioactive egg glowing sunny-side up. The clouds were pink around the edges as they nes- tled in the darkening blue, like a Georgia O'Keeffe painting. A month later it’s as though we’ve never seen the sun at all. It’s much colder - minus 80 or below. Breathing is like sucking in baby bee stings. Everything fogs up and I find it easiest to get around without glasses or goggles. I pull my hat low and my neck gaiter up to my eyes, leaving a slit to see. I fall down from time to time, but since I never know it’s coming I don’t tense up and seem to bounce. Wearing 50 Penguins porpoising Photo by Laura Hamilton, pounds of clothing helps. Third place wildlife Painter apprentice, Sometimes this life seems so Palmer Station incredibly difficult and I want to The judge said, "This is really about penguin life. We forget shake my fist at the Gods. And it all that they spend all their time in the water." snowballs into bigger questions of life and pain and hunger in the world, and children born into unlov- ing situations and mean people and, Morning, Lake Hoare, Summer 2002 and, and… Non-fiction third place And what could I possibly do by Joe Mastroianni about it all from here? Then I sit on Light flickers through the skylight, the Clear the sleep out of your throat to my knees and weep, tears freezing airborne turbine whining, downdraft laugh. to my lashes. thumps against the walls of the hut. In Have you been drinking enough More often I walk to the storage the air, the scent of toasted muffins and water? How many days will you wear berms or milvans and wonder how melted butter. A couple breakfast plates these socks? Is the sun still rising over the lucky I am to be here. We see auro- are piled beside the sink. house you lived in as a child? ras now almost daily - sometimes a In the corner the radio barks, busting Did you ever think you’d look up one broad sweep of God’s paintbrush or the temporary silence into shards of day day to see the glacier face, the mass of curling up like the smoke off a giant like ice. The glaciologists are off to blue ice that groans and shatters like an cigar and shimmering high in the Commonwealth, then the Canada. upturned china cabinet? heavens. Other times they drip There’s a creak in the heavy door You say, “In your life did you ever down like animated chandelier crys- when it opens, reverse refrigerator. It’s a think…” tals. They seem to dip low enough sound that becomes part of you, so you She answers, “What?” first word she’s to reach up and grab one. If I could don’t hear it anymore. You just know said today. grasp one would I touch the face of what it means. Someone walks in, tosses Say it’s science. Say it’s work. Say it’s this southern God who challenges a hat onto the table, checks to see if a pain. me so? there’s any hot water left and, finding Outside it’s not wintertime Chicago, none, sets some on for tea. or a blustery Boston afternoon, or Paris, The judge said “The strengths of In front of you, granola in a melmac or Stockholm, or even Ulan Bator. this second-place winner include: bowl, the kind your grandmother had. When the door opens and the sun tears beautifully descriptive figurative Coffee mug of orange juice. Formica in on a Paleolithic blast of air, look language....Compelling and beauti- table and folding chairs straight from the around. So little of the universe is inhab- ful writing.” last church bazaar. itable. Judy Spanberger’s 2002 winter at Someone grumbles about the helo And here you are. the South Pole as the construction cargo schedule. A joke about the rocket toilet. Antarctica. senior was her second winter and her The judge said: “The power of this short piece comes from the wonderful sensory 10th season since starting with the pro- detail about smells and sounds, and also the turn in the middle, where the narrator gram in 1988. Last summer she served as South Pole correspondent for The makes the connection between his/her life in Antarctica and his/her childhood through Antarctic Sun. the melmac bowl full of granola....A wonderful piece of writing.” Photo, Poetry and Prose Festival January 5, 2003 The Antarctic Sun • 15 The white of morning Poetry first place by Stefan Pashov The white of the morning opens it’s empty hand, and everywhere I go, I am just in the center of the world.

The judge chose this poem “for its elegant expression of a complex thought in decep- tively simply terms.”

Stefan Pashov is in his sec- ond McMurdo season, working in supply. He left Bulgaria in 1986, where he had degrees in world literature, linguistics, his- tory, theory of culture and phi- losophy. He teaches poetry writ- ing and has put together a book of about 700 short meditations.

Poetry judge: Bill Fox was a NSF writer grantee in 2001. Halloween sunlight Photo by Zac Willette, His coming book on “envi- First place people general assistant, sioning Antarctica: history The judge said, "You see this sort of photo a lot, but this one is McMurdo Station and nature of antarctic really successful. Something real fortuitous happened here." images” will be his fifth non- fiction book on how people transform land into landscape.

Launching XBT’s from the LM Gould Photo by Graham Tilbury, Second place people Palmer Station Retiring Old Glory Photo by Doug Honorable mention Ruuska, The judge said, "It really gives you a sense of the volume and people met tech power of water in the ocean and how vulnerable we are to it." Onset D camp

Photo, Poetry and Prose Festival 16 • The Antarctic Sun January 5, 2003 Ob Hill Poetry third place by Ron Smith Lucullan vista crowns the height of that hill, severed by a sword of one word, secret of an only sky, commands the sun to fall, falter in flattened sheen against glacial waves, rigid ice-islands on a blue plate,

Snow mountains teethe through clouds white as light, crystal rivers empty slowing time, as if sea became land, and formed one soul, one life, uttering it’s lone word, within an eternal howl of winter — Be. Trash Truck 2002 or 1962? Photo by Mark Furnish, Third place people waste operations manager, The judge said, “It deals pre- McMurdo Station cisely with what the landscape The judge said, "This is just such a classic-style photograph." demands as a human response.”

Ron Smith is the Air National Karen Joyce writes “In my 12 years on Guard Liaison for the NSF Office I refuse to go jogging the ice, I’ve weathered more regime changes of Polar Programs and previously than an Albanian peasant. During the day, I came to the Antarctic with the with penguins coordinate computer support for the Crary 109th Airlift Wing. He is seeking Poetry second place Lab. But my best work is done at night: to publish his first book of poetry, by Karen Joyce committing occupational suicide by writing with previous publication in comedy novels about life in McMurdo.” I refuse to go jogging with penguins. obscure magazines. They insist upon changing directions. All that sprinting and stopping And preening and flopping We’ll never get anywhere, hopping.

And then there’s the Antarctic Treaty. Yes I know that this isn’t Tahiti. Our species must never Disturb or endeavor To jog with the locals. A pity.

No, penguins make poor running mates. When choosing a partner, a penguin equates To picking a man with a soccerball belly Stubby little legs and a body like jelly. If I could find no one else, I suppose they would do But where would I find them a good Nike shoe?

The judge said:“It’s funny, which is difficult to do in an Antarctic poem without lapsing into bad imitations untitled Photo by Geoff Gilbert, of Robert Service, and compact in expression.” Honorable mention environmental remediation, people McMurdo Station

Photo, Poetry and Prose Festival January 5, 2003 The Antarctic Sun • 17

Flags on the Trail Photo by Robbie Liben, Second place other senior computer technician, McMurdo Station The judge said about her selections for the other category, "These are three totally different images....The reason I picked them is that here, we can see ordinary things in a different way." Bunny Boot Haiku Haiku first place by Zac Willette I am Bunny Boots. You mock me because you love How I make you sweat. The judge said “1! 2! 3! Bunny counts out the competition with three confident declarations.” Spring sun Haiku second place by James Battaglia Spring sun warms snow Slumbering stream awakens Two wood ducks dance Bar ice Photo by Cara Sucher, The judge said “This poem, like spring itself, Third place other Lab supervisor, slowly comes to life.” Palmer Station

Zac Willette, a Wind strums McMurdo Haiku judge: Andrew James Battaglia Haiku third place by Karen Joyce McCarter, currently a cur- is a first-season elec- first-season general trician’s apprentice assistant at McMurdo, Wind strums McMurdo riculum and assessment spe- loves being from Blue cialist, worked in the waste at McMurdo Station. Volcano island music He writes haiku, Earth Minnesota. He Phone wires are singing barn of McMurdo last season. anecdotes about his grooves on language, Last year he was a double experiences and digs visuals and miss- The judge said “the lines of this poem are winner in the writing contest. some short stories. es teaching. themselves like three taut, parallel wires of a tiny musical instrument.” Photo, Poetry and Prose Festival 18 • The Antarctic Sun January 5, 2003

“Hello, natural laboratory.... We’re using the best possible place to get the best possible data on our production rates.” — Kim Knight, geology student

Photo courtesy of Paul Renne Kim Knight collects rock samples in the McMurdo Dry Valleys to test for cosmogenic argon-38, which could become a new way to gauge the age of stones.

Rock From page 1 “It could be quite significant,” said ble or have a long half-life that can be eas- measuring stick to date rock, Renne needs Warren Sharp, another researcher at the ily read. So far, stable helium-3 is the best to calibrate it. To do that, he needed a Berkeley Geochronology Center. tool geologists have for studying ancient number of rock samples likely to contain “Determining the ages of surfaces is of rock surfaces. Geologists have established cosmogenic argon. interest in many areas of geology, for that helium-3 is created in many minerals Several years ago, Farley used helium- instance, glaciology and related paleocli- at a rate of about 100 atoms per gram per 3 to measure the rate of uplift in the Dry mate work.” year when cosmic rays blast apart heavier Valleys and gave Renne some of the min- atoms. With that knowledge they can mea- eral samples. In them, Renne found argon- Bombarded by particles sure the number of atoms of helium-3 in a 38, an isotope he’d previously measured Cosmic rays strike the Earth’s atmos- particular rock and know how long that on moon rocks. phere from all directions, setting off rock has been exposed. Argon-38 is more common in moon nuclear reactions that spray out ions and “Right now the major techniques that rocks, because the moon is exposed to subatomic particles such as neutrons. get used for this are isotopes that require higher levels of cosmic radiation than can “It’s basically this constant rain of par- very, very expensive instrumentation, make it through the Earth’s protective ticles on the Earth,” Renne said. which really limits what you can do,” said atmosphere. The moon’s surface is also As they strike the ground, the particles Ken Farley, a geologist at the California very stable, like the Dry Valleys. Other sometimes blast elements in the top few Institute of Technology. scientists have measured argon-38 in lunar centimeters, splitting off pieces and trans- Argon would be better than helium-3 rocks and meteorites for about 30 years, forming them into other isotopes. Many because it is not prone to leaking out of but Renne’s team was the first to detect it such reactions are known to produce heli- minerals, as helium does, “which means on Earth. um-3, for example, and an atom of calci- we can use this isotope to study rock far, “Where you’re really going to see it is um or potassium could be hit by a particle far back in geologic time,” Renne said. places with really, really low erosion rates, and turned into argon. Argon and helium are both noble gases, a like the moon or Antarctica,” Renne said. The particles hit people and animals, rare group of gases exhibiting great stabil- “The Dry Valleys are without question the too, but normally we aren’t around long ity and low reaction rates. slowest eroding place on Earth.” enough for the barrage to have any long- “Argon is really the lightest noble gas Indeed, a Swiss study five years ago range effects, Renne said. Rocks, on the that gets stuck,” Renne said. found a boulder on Mt. Feather in the Dry other hand, lie around like targets for thou- Argon could also be tested for with Valleys that had been exposed to the sur- sands or even millions of years, long smaller rock samples than the tens of face for at least 10 million years, based on enough for the particles to leave their grams needed for two other commonly their measurements of helium-3. Much of mark. Often these marks fade, since the studied cosmogenic isotopes – beryllium- the Transantarctic range has been exposed cosmogenic, or cosmically-caused, iso- 10 and aluminum-26, Renne said. The from 1 million to 5 million years. In other topes produced are radioactive and decay application of both beryllium-10 and alu- areas of the world, it’s more typical to find away. minum-26 is limited by their radioactivity. rocks that have been exposed for 1,000 to The trick is to find isotopes that are sta- Before geologists can use argon as a See Rock on page 19 January 5, 2003 The Antarctic Sun • 19

Rock From page 18 100,000 years. “More than a million years is very unusual,” Renne said. Antarctica also receives twice as much cosmic radiation as lower because the Earth’s magnetic field is especially steep here, which means the deflection of incoming protons is min- imized. Renne knew the best samples would be found someplace with nearly flat or gently rounded mesas and no glacial erosion. The Dry Valleys were ideal. “Hello, natural laboratory,” said Kim Knight, a graduate stu- dent at the University of California at Berkeley, who is working with Renne. “We’re using the best possible place to get the best possible data on our production rates.” Lab work Renne and Knight collected 20 rock samples from Salmon Hill, Schist Peak, Beacon Valley, Table Mountain and Mount Fleming. They’ve taken the samples back to the Berkeley Geochronology Center in Berkeley, Calif, where Renne was the founding director and currently is a geochronologist. They will grind the rocks coarsely to separate out the minerals they are most interested in – those rich in calcium and potassium – which show up as shiny specks in the rock. They’ll test the samples for the starting minerals by irradiating them in a nuclear Photo courtesy of Paul Renne reactor and measuring how much argon-37 and argon-39 are cre- Paul Renne uses helicopters to find likely sites for the kind of rock ated from calcium and potassium respectively. Then the samples samples he needed, usually flat or slightly rounded mesas without are gradually heated to determine how much argon already exist- glacial erosion, where the stones would have been exposed for a ed in the rock and how much came from cosmic radiation. long time. “The atoms don’t have cosmogenic and non-cosmogenic writ- ten on them,” Renne said. cools all that is left is a radioactive bead of black or green glass and About 20 milligrams of the crystal, like a pinch of salt, is put hopefully a new understanding of the rate at which cosmogenic in a near vacuum and slowly heated with a laser. After the sam- argon develops in rocks. That knowledge will have a number of ple reaches about 600C it begins to release argon. The first argon applications, including studying the erosion history of land masses released comes from the atmosphere. About 0.8 percent of the and the uplift of major mountains. Earth’s atmosphere is argon and of that, 0.06 percent is argon-38. “We can look at the balance between processes that uplift “It’s only when you start to really heat these crystals up and mountains and processes that erode mountains,” Knight said. the chemical bonds start breaking that you get the cosmogenic Potentially argon-38 and helium-3 could be used together to argon,” Renne said. learn about the elevation of the Earth’s surface as a function of Young rocks won’t have any cosmogenic argon, but old rocks time, Farley said. If that works, they might help determine when like those found in the Dry Valleys will. the Tibetan plateau became elevated, an “incredibly important At 900C, the powdered rock glows orange. At 1,100C it’s iri- Earth science problem that nobody’s been able to solve,” Farley descent, like a lava lake. Eventually it becomes white hot. After it said. “The Tibetan plateau controls a tremendous amount of glob- al climate." Everyone’s a winner in the Antarctic Photo and Writing Contest Because anyone can print their own copy of the 2003 calendar featuring the winning entries. When you have access to a color printer and legal-sized paper, go to www.polar.org/antsun and print it out.

(Those who actually placed in one of the categories will receive a calendar print- ed out by The Antarctic Sun. Stop by the office in McMurdo, or wait patiently for it to arrive by mail.) 20• The Antarctic Sun January 5, 2003 Profile Big duties come with leading By Kristan Hutchison Sun staff smallest U.S. Antarctic station Getting to Antarctica was Bob Farrell’s one has to have a broad range of abilities, and the Laurence M. Gould, were at the boyhood dream. Being there has become such as the mechanic who takes care of all dock meant for only one ship. In Palmer his career. the vehicles and the power plant, or the Station’s normally windy weather it would Farrell had wanted to go to Antarctica station doctor who also takes air samples. have been disastrous, with the wind and since he read Admiral Byrd’s book Alone “The downside of it being small is you waves knocking the ships into each other when he was 12. As soon as Farrell finished have very, very little private space,” and the dock. But for a full day and night college he began asking around about jobs Farrell said. the wind and waves stayed calm, just long there. He was teaching English in Japan Fifteen people often share one bathroom. enough to stabilize the patient and send when he finally landed a job as a gener- him out without the doctor. al assistant at the South Pole, flying all “When it works out well it’s a the way to Denver to interview. relief and you learn a lot of lessons Since then, Farrell has spent a from it,” Farrell said. decade in the Antarctic program. He On another occasion, Palmer worked his way up to area director for Station was able to help out one of its Palmer Station. A neck injury kept neighbors, Rothera Station. The him from deploying to Palmer this British ship , carry- season, where he was supposed to put ing 16 passengers and cargo for in his fourth season as station manag- Rothera, couldn’t make it to the er. The winter station manager, Joe British station because of ice. Instead, Pettit, who has been there since it pulled up alongside the Gould, March, had to continue in that position which was at dock that day. The cargo for a full year. was transferred across the ships to the “It’s his first time as a station man- dock, then the community pitched in ager and he’s done an exceptional to haul it up the hill to the glacier, job,” Farrell wrote from Denver. where four British Twin Otters landed In Palmer, Farrell is remembered as and shuttled the people and gear to Photo by Kristin van Konyneburg/Special to The Antarctic Sun a movie buff with a sense of humor. Bob Farrell near Palmer Station last season. the station. “He likes to laugh, tell jokes and is “It was one of these great Antarctic very sociable,” said Tom Cohenour, who There is no space to go for a run, since experiences – international cooperation, worked with Farrell in past years. Palmer is on a small patch of bare ground community spirit, everyone just working A fan of the Austin Powers movies, surrounded by water and a glacier. To get so hard,” Farrell said. Farrell dressed as Dr. Evil last Halloween away from it, Farrell walks up on the glaci- Farrell is also the official station in Palmer and often quoted lines from the er when the weather is good or goes out in a greeter when tour boats come. Though series: “Why must I be surrounded by zodiac, the small boats they use. Palmer is the smallest of the U.S. idiots!” or “I will not tolerate your inso- “Just to get out to the backyard or out Antarctic stations, it gets the most visitors lence!” He sometimes even broadcast in a boat clears your head, gives you a bet- because it is on the well-traveled cruise soundclips from the movies over the all- ter perspective.” route along the Antarctic Peninsula. Only call system, Cohenour said, “All done in One time he was out in a zodiac and saw a dozen tour boats are allowed to disem- humor, of course.” some whales. They cut the engines to watch bark passengers at Palmer each year. The humor is balanced with work. and soon three humpback whales were sur- “It’s a balance, because it’s a huge “He’s an approachable, concerned facing within a few feet of the boat. impact when they come ashore,” Farrell leader, who can focus on the big issues, Those good weather chances don’t said. “But it’s also energizing because you lay down the law when he has to, but still come very often, though. get these people who are so thrilled by manage to have a lot of fun,” said Barb “We have this reputation of being the things we take for granted.” Watson, an instrument technician at Club Med or the Banana Belt,” Farrell Last season a larger cruise ship came to Palmer Station who worked with Farrell said. “But a lot of times it’s rainy and gray. Palmer for the first time, Holland last year. You can’t get out. You can’t see the beau- America’s 1,266-passenger Ryndam. The Stuck back in Denver this season, tiful mountains.” ship dwarfed the station and carried too Farrell can see all the movies he wants, Even when the weather is nice station many passengers to let them come ashore, but misses Palmer. manager Farrell is often stuck in his but Farrell and others went aboard to give Palmer is the smallest of the three U.S. office. He’s dealt with some difficult situ- a talk. research stations in Antarctica, with a sup- ations from there. “That was surreal. We got onto the ship port staff of 24. That’s exactly what “There are times I felt we just had a and it was like this four-star hotel,” Farrell Farrell likes about it. guardian angel watching over us,” Farrell said. “I like the community aspect,” Farrell said. Posh as it was, Farrell was happy to said. “That’s the best thing about Palmer, One of those was in the winter of 2000, return to his more modest accommoda- that it’s a small and interdependent com- when a man at Palmer had a heart attack tions at Palmer Station. munity.” and needed to be medevacced. The ques- “It’s a magical place at times, where The same types of tasks need to be tion was whether to send the station’s only you just stop and you’re awestruck by done as at a larger station. But with fewer doctor out with the patient. what’s around you,” Farrell said. “All of people to share the responsibility, every- Both ships, the Nathaniel B. Palmer Antarctica is.”